Cost of hiring in Ann Arbor, MI
BLS counts about 19,610 people in these 17 roles in Ann Arbor1. Project Coordinator has the highest median ($103,690 a year), Virtual Receptionist the lowest ($39,190), and Customer Support Specialist is the largest job, with about 3,440 people.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Ann Arbor
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +9.0% | 60 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +7.6% | 1,060 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +6.4% | 2,290 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | +3.1% | 1,500 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +2.6% | 140 | |
| Recruiter | +2.4% | 1,110 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.8% | 1,930 | |
| Project Coordinator | +1.3% | 1,430 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.2% | 130 | |
| Bookkeeper | +0.8% | 1,510 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -1.4% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | -2.2% | 380 | |
| Executive Assistant | -2.5% | 430 | |
| Accountant | -4.3% | 1,580 | |
| Office Manager | -6.6% | 1,330 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -11.8% | 3,440 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -15.9% | 1,160 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $39,480 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $50,942 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Ann Arbor against the US
Ann Arbor pays above the US median for 9 of the 17 roles, most of all for e-commerce order specialists (+9.0%) and sales development representatives (+7.6%), and below it for 7, furthest for marketing specialists (-15.9%). For bookkeepers it is within 1% of the US figure. The middle gap across all 17 is +1.2%: for most of these roles, hiring costs more here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for e-commerce order specialists, #19 of 287 areas by median pay; its lowest is for customer support specialists, #305 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Ann Arbor has more medical administrative assistants (9.8% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and virtual receptionists (7.6% against 5.7%), and fewer e-commerce order specialists (0.3% against 0.5%) and sales development representatives (5.4% against 7.9%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Lexington Park, MD is nearest, at +1.2%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | +1.3% | 14 | 5,890 |
| Fresno, CA | +1.3% | 17 | 35,190 |
| Syracuse, NY | +1.3% | 17 | 32,030 |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | +1.3% | 17 | 51,930 |
| Lexington Park, MD | +1.2% | 14 | 6,240 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +1.2% (this area) | 17 | 19,610 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Ann Arbor span $39,890–$151,390, the widest band (3.8×); medical administrative assistants the narrowest, $38,330–$50,800. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 15 of 17 roles, medical administrative assistants most ($35,930–$60,530 across the US). Budget from the median for marketing specialists, sales development representatives, customer support specialists and 1 more role: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($76,810 against a $66,210 median for marketing specialists).
Ann Arbor against Michigan
Against Michigan as a whole, Ann Arbor pays more for 13 of 17 roles, led by e-commerce order specialists (+13.8%) and medical administrative assistants (+13.7%), and less for 2, most of all customer support specialists (-10.2%). It has the highest median in Michigan for recruiters, HR assistants and administrative assistants and 3 more roles.
Other areas in Michigan
By jobs in these roles, Ann Arbor is #4 of 19 areas in Michigan. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Detroit-Warren to Saginaw.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | 180,750 | 17 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 51,290 | 17 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 21,260 | 17 |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | 11,610 | 17 |
| Flint, MI | 11,050 | 17 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 10,830 | 17 |
| Southern Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,870 | 17 |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,630 | 17 |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Nonmetro) | 8,320 | 17 |
| Saginaw, MI | 8,170 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Ann Arbor?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $103,690 a year, about $133,794 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $39,190.
Is hiring in Ann Arbor cheaper than the US median?
For 7 of the 17 roles, yes, most of all marketing specialists (-15.9%). 9 pay more than the US median, led by e-commerce order specialists (+9.0%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.